


as if it's your last night

by starlust (stcrdust)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - Black Mirror Episode: s03e04 San Junipero, Dancing, Drinking, Explicit Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, Pillow Talk, Smoking, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, all around very soft and tender feelings, i invented an entire exo comeback for this fic, night clubs. partying. the likes, time travel (sort of), will be confusing but everything is explained!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-09
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 05:20:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29130189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stcrdust/pseuds/starlust
Summary: Mark thinks he'll never dance again, especially not in the party town of San Junipero. He thinks he'll never feel alive again, but under the multi-colored lights, atop the dance floor of the club, a beautiful stranger proves him wrong.in which mark finds love amidst living like it's his last.
Relationships: Mark Lee/Wong Yuk Hei | Lucas
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38
Collections: In Another Life





	as if it's your last night

**Author's Note:**

> this work was written for lumark fest round one, and is based off of black mirror s3 ep 4: san junipero! ☆ 
> 
> lots of thank yous to my lovely beta for beta-ing this fic and being the best, and all my thank yous to the mods for being so understanding and kind throughout the entire writing process and for running this fest! and most importantly, thank you to baekhyun for carrying this entire fic with his flawless discography.
> 
> since this fic is rated explicit, please click away if you are a minor! please heed every single tag -- if you've watched san junipero before, you probably know what to expect, but to those who haven't: there are underlying mentions of death, but nothing too horrible or dark.

San Junipero was a party town—that was what everyone said.

To Mark, it was probably a little less than that.

Not that he disliked parties or anything. He just didn’t think they were his scene—it was always nice to get a drink or two at Tucker’s before he went to catch a movie or go shopping, but the day he stepped foot on the dance floor would probably be the day he decided he’d move into San Junipero, all cares thrown through the window by that point.

Tonight, however, Tucker’s called out to him, the light-up sign flickering temptingly above the entrance as Mark stood in front of it. From inside, he could hear the familiar tune of _Get You Alone_ by Baekhyun, one of the hotter releases of 2021, playing, and _God_ , did Mark love this song. He abandoned all hesitation and stepped forward, pushing open the doors and adjusting the flaps of his jean jacket as he subconsciously bobbed his head along the way.

The club was crowded as usual, the multi-colored lights washing over the crowd that swayed back and forth to the music, the atmosphere lighthearted as people danced their cares away, some even going through the motions of the dance to _Get You Alone_. It instilled life and slight nostalgia within Mark, watching them step this way and that, waving their arms in the air with glee.

Mark made his way over to the bar area, ordering himself a glass of whiskey and cola as he hoisted himself onto the seat, wrapping his hand around the glass and taking a tentative sip. The alcohol slid down his throat, and though he had long gotten used to the bitterness, he couldn't prevent the way his nose scrunched up, grimacing at the subtle burning feeling in his throat.

The song changed as Mark took a few more sips to numb himself to the taste—it sounded familiar, but Mark could barely hear it over the chatter of people sitting in the seats near him and the cheering of the people on the dance floor. As he craned his neck and leaned forward in his seat to get a better listen, he heard an even more familiar clapping sound accompanied by an unmistakable instrumental— _UN Village_ by Baekhyun was now playing.

It was a bit of an understatement to say that Mark liked Baekhyun's music—he swore he used to have at least ten posters of the idol plastered up on his wall as a teenager. Hundreds of hours had gone into listening to his various releases, but this one—Baekhyun's debut song—brought forth a wave of nostalgia that surged through Mark as he bobbed his head to the beat, glancing over at the dance floor longingly. Dancing was not Mark's strong suit in his opinion, but if he was feeling any braver and any less sober, he probably would have sauntered his way onto the dance floor and found his place among the crowd.

 _Not today though_ , Mark thought to himself as he gulped down the remaining contents of his glass and set it down behind him on the counter. He was going to turn around and call for another when his eye caught someone dancing at the edge of the crowd on the dance floor, the flashy pattern of his shirt not quite tacky, but not quite fashionable either. When Mark lifted his gaze to look at his face, however—he wasn't sure he wanted to look away just yet.

The man was looking away from him, giving Mark a direct view of his gorgeous side profile, with a perfect nose and perfectly shaped lips and eyes that sparkled under the warm lights hung above the dance floor. His skin practically glowed under those lights, and the shirt draped over his upper body was well-fitted enough that Mark could see the beginnings of a sculpted torso.

 _"Is this allowed?"_ Mark thought to himself as he gawked at the man across the club, watching as he moved slowly with the music, still unable to tear his gaze away as he turned in his direction and made direct eye contact with Mark, his— _oh._

When they locked eyes, a wide grin immediately stretched across his lips, his gaze bright as he continued to dance, slow and languid, as if his moves were intended to entice Mark into hopping off his seat at the bar—and if Mark could be honest with himself, he was probably seconds away from doing just that. He bit his lip as anxiety bubbled in his chest, tapping his fingers against his empty glass as he looked at the man, whose slow hip rolls were probably intentional at this point. Well, no harm in letting himself go and enjoy a slow little dance for just a moment or two, Mark thought as he took a deep breath and let his feet hit the ground, looking straight at the man as he made the short trek there.

Mark's steps flowed with the rhythm, accepting the man's invitation onto the dance floor, and the other backed away from him, leading Mark further and further into the crowd of people until he stopped, smile wide as he looked down at Mark, who now stood in front of him, slowly swaying back and forth and nodding his head to the music.

"You seemed like you wanted to get on," the nameless man began as he leaned in close to speak to Mark, doing his best to keep quiet so as not to ruin the chill atmosphere that had set over the dance room. "The dance floor, I mean. Did you get on it because of me?" The man grinned as he teased him, and Mark couldn't help the way he flushed and looked away

"You probably know the answer to that, man. C'mon." Mark avoided eye contact, surprised by the lone fact that his feet were on the dance floor, that he was moving his limbs to the beat of UN Village by Baekhyun, that he was dancing with someone else who seemed to be checking him out as they swayed to the chorus. It was something Mark never thought he'd end up doing in San Junipero—but he supposed San Junipero always had its ways of bringing surprises into his life, even now.

The man in front of him laughed. "Just joking around. Name's Lucas, by the way."

"Mark," Mark replied curtly, nodding awkwardly at Lucas, who smiled and leaned in closer to him as the lights above them dimmed, Baekhyun’s soothing voice echoing through the speakers of the club as Mark’s eyes widened, now gazing upon Lucas’ face up close for the first time. He decided that if he looked for too long he would get far too lost within the sculpted perfection of the other’s features, so he instead matched his moves and went with the flow of the rolling rhythm.

"So what brings you down to San Junipero, Mark?" Mark took a moment to admire how Lucas' blonde hair shimmered under the multi-colored lights as he spoke, then thought on his question before shrugging nonchalantly.

"I just ... wanted to have some fun, y'know?"

"Guess we have a lot more in common than I thought! I'm just here for a good time too." Lucas smiled as the song ended, now transitioning into a livelier pop song from the late 2010s. "It's not like we get a lot of time to spend here in the first place. How long is it till midnight?"

Mark wrenched his gaze away from Lucas to turn his head towards the clock hung above the bar area. "... Shit, only 15 minutes. I swear it was earlier when I came in ..." He physically deflated at the thought of having to leave, not when the short moment shared between him and Lucas had caused a rush of excitement to flow through his veins—the first he'd felt in God knew how long.

"Might as well make the most of it, right? That's what San Junipero's all about—making the most of the little time we've got. That's what I think, anyway," Lucas commented thoughtfully as the music slid into its chorus, and he swung his arms to the rhythm, jumping straight into more dance moves as he grinned invitingly at Mark, who couldn't help but smile back at him, admiring how carefree he looked under the spinning canvas of lights.

And Mark couldn't help but join him too, joy welling up in his chest as he danced all of his worries away with Lucas, right up until the clock's hands ticked up to midnight.

_**ONE WEEK LATER** _

Mark frowned as he looked at himself in the mirror, lifting one of the flaps of his usual jean jacket and tilting his head. He was in dire need of a wardrobe change—Mark had been wearing the same jean jacket into San Junipero more times than he could count, the piece of clothing having been with him for years. It brought an unimaginable amount of nostalgia that no other jacket could replace, but Mark knew he had to let it go for a bit if he wanted to look good in case Lucas showed up at Tucker's again—not that he was actively searching for Lucas or anything. He just had to take certain precautions! 

He smiled to himself as he flung the doors of his closet open, gaze laid out over the array of clothes before him.

He waltzed back into his room dressed in a graphic tee with a leather jacket pulled over his torso. His black skinny jeans felt suffocating on his legs, and combined with the studded belt and the necklace with skull charms, he decided it was probably better to go with a different look, lest he scare off Lucas with an outfit reminiscent of My Chemical Romance’s era.

He walked back into his room dressed much more comfortably this time, with a red, black, and white striped button-up top tucked into his black slacks. He pushed his circular-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose as he looked at himself in the mirror, but frowned, realizing he looked like he was ready for a study date at the library, rather than a night getting down at the club. He sighed to himself, promptly turning on his heels and heading back into his closet.

When Mark emerged from his closet once again, he immediately felt lighter in the outfit he’d chosen: a flowy, black button-up shirt with flowery patterns draped over his figure, bottomed off with loose black jeans and a striped belt. He pinched the sides of his glasses, tipping his head down so he could look at himself with and without glasses—it didn’t make much of a difference since the frames were fake, but it didn’t hurt to keep them on every now and then. Satisfied enough with this outfit choice, Mark folded his glasses and placed them down on his desk, turning away from the mirror to fully button himself up.

When he finished buttoning up his shirt, he glanced over at the time—the digital clock on his desk read 7:34 PM. Perfect. 

The trek to Tucker’s was quick (definitely not because of the skip in Mark’s step, not at all) and soon enough, he was pushing open the doors to the place he never thought he’d be caught dancing in ever, much less a second time. His eyes scanned the room in search of a certain tall man with a brightly patterned shirt, making subtle strides over to the bar area once again, ordering a shot of whiskey and cola just like last week. He sipped on it, the fizzy substance bitter on his tongue as he continued to glance around the room. 

The chair next to him squeaked as someone sat atop it, and Mark turned to see the familiar face he had been searching for. Lucas waved at him, an easygoing smile set on his lips as he called for a drink.

“Whiskey and cola, same as this little guy next to me,” Lucas called out much to Mark’s displeasure, watching with a dismayed expression as the bartender passed him the drink.

“I’m not little …” Mark protested, gulping down some more of his drink as he pouted, looking up at a quite amused Lucas. The other chuckled, holding his glass out, smiling wider when Mark clinked his glass with his. “You’re just really damn tall.”

“Really damn tall, huh?” Lucas teased with a chuckle, laughing when Mark shrank in his seat, cheeks rosy as the other raised his glass to his lips. “Nice outfit, by the way. I’m loving the floral theme!” 

“Thanks… I wanted to try something new. I’ve been wearing that same jean jacket for weeks, it feels like.” Mark finished off his drink, feeling the faint buzz of alcohol in his veins as he turned in his seat to look at Lucas. “Do you like, wanna dance or something?” He furrowed his brow as he tried to figure out the current song that was playing—it was unfamiliar, but the beat was catchy enough to make him start tapping his foot along to the music, nodding his head as he glanced over at Lucas, who looked over at the dance floor.

“Do I ever not wanna dance?” Lucas responded, downing the rest of his drink and setting it down on the table with a wide grin.

“Let’s go.”

And it was easy for both Lucas and Mark to lose themselves in the music, to move to the rhythm of the melody and set their cares to the side for a couple of minutes. Mark gave in to the vibration of the bass, the spinning lights of the dance floor. He gave into Lucas’s smile, his carefree movements and his cheery nature, and let himself be free, freer than he’d ever felt during his time at San Junipero.

As they drowned in the music and the dance floor, night fell, the clock above the bar ticking enticingly until it reached 9:30, the right angle of the clock's hands drawing Mark's attention when he glanced over at them. He had been leaning into Lucas' touch, hands gently draped over his chest as they moved side to side, and the sparkling button-up with a few buttons unbuttoned was beginning to look more and more alluring as they danced further into the night. Lucas almost seemed to think the same thing, looking down at Mark with an expression that held more than just sparkling intrigue.

"My place isn't far from the town," Lucas began quietly, leaning down to mumble lowly into Mark's ear, "only if you ... want to, though."

Mark's mind spun from the implication of the other's words, nodding quickly in confirmation. Whisked off the dance floor and past the doors of Tucker's, Mark walked down the sidewalk with Lucas as gaggles of drunk locals walked past, giggling and cheering as they made their way over to the club further down the street from Tucker’s. Lucas gently led him by the hand, glancing back at him every so often as they moved away from the busier parts of San Junipero and into a quieter side of town, where a few cars were parked at the side of the road.

"You're sure about this, right? We'll probably be there 'til midnight." Lucas fished his car keys out of his back pocket, giving the unlock button a push. Mark watched as a red Mercedes Benz responded with a flicker of its headlights, quite nearly star-struck as he looked over at Lucas.

"Yeah, don’t worry—yo, dude ... You own a Mercedes Benz?" Mark gaped at the car in wonder, almost afraid to run his hand over the hood in fear of getting any sort of dirt on it. "And it's a convertible too ..."

"She's my pride and joy!" Lucas cheered, giving the hood of the car a slap before opening the passenger door for Mark, then walking around to hop into the driver's seat. The engine hummed quietly when Lucas started it, and he quickly pulled out of his parking spot, taking them down the winding blocks and roads of San Junipero.

The tall buildings and tight roads made way for more open spaces as Lucas turned onto the highway, the grass fields stretching out for miles, the reflection of San Junipero's lights sparkling within the water of the beach they drove past. Baekhyun accompanied their trip past the beach, the music playing from the radio barely heard over the night breeze whipping past their faces.

Eventually, Lucas pulled into a side road that led straight to the beach, where a house was laid out across the sand, its white exterior bright in the midst of the night. Once again, Lucas held the car door open for Mark, and he could only nod in thanks as Lucas led him to the front of the house, walking up the steps to the porch. The waves lapping across the shore were audible now, and though the tide was low, Mark could see the waves that stretched far across the sand, darkening it and smoothing out the imprints of footsteps made.

"Y'know, this place kinda reminds me of the place I had back home," Lucas said as he walked inside. "My childhood home, I mean. One of them, at least."

"You had more than one?" Mark questioned with a raised eyebrow as he looked around at the living room—everything seemed fresh and bright, just like Lucas himself, and the walls were lined with vividly colored paintings that only added to the radiance, despite the fact that the two were shrouded in darkness. "Wish I could've grown up that loaded."

"It wasn't really a big deal," Lucas mumbled as he hovered close to Mark, hands resting on his waist as though they were dancing to a silent melody, "it still isn't, honestly. I'm just here to have fun, you know?"

Mark smiled and turned to face him. "Well, do you ... wanna have fun now?"

Lucas chuckled, and wrapped a full arm around his waist, pulling him closer to him. "Way ahead of you there, Mark."

+

The sound of rustling clothes and breathless sighs could be heard as the two stumbled into Lucas' bedroom, never pulling away from each other for even a second to catch a break. Mark fell backwards onto the bed, the feeling of Lucas' body pressing against his amplified tenfold when he sensed his rapidly beating heart through thin layers of clothes. He pulled back and laid his head against the pillow, exhaling shallowly as he looked up at Lucas with a nearly giddy smile, his eyes sparkling in the dim moonlight that shone through the window above the bed.

Lucas grinned back down at him, leaning down to press a kiss onto the side of Mark's neck, which prompted a quiet gasp from Mark, his hand beginning to slide up Lucas' back. He continued to trail kisses down his neck until Mark grew restless under him, grabbing fistfuls of Lucas' shirt as his exhales grew louder and louder, then letting out a soft whimper when the other sucked a mark that bloomed a deep red on the pale skin just above his collarbone.

"Cas—Lucas, need you—" Mark managed to gasp out when Lucas finally pulled away, smug grin remaining on his face as his gaze drifted down to Mark's tousled black hair, the buttons of his floral shirt partly unbuttoned, the hand that drifted up to cover the bottom half of his face, and the hand that tugged insistently at Lucas' tacky button-up. "Take this off, at least—"

Lucas breathily laughed as he moved to fiddle with his buttons, sitting up and looking down at Mark with an endeared smile. "The feeling's mutual, don't worry. Let's get yours off too, yeah?" Mark eagerly nodded, his hands reaching to unbutton his own shirt. Eventually, both of their shirts were discarded, and Lucas was once again free to explore Mark's body, one hand drifting up his bare torso as he leaned back down to capture his lips in a liplock once again.

With every gentle gasp that slipped past Mark's lips, Lucas only grew more and more enamored by him, wanting more and more, diving deeper and deeper into the night as the sound of an unbuckling belt indicated they were ridding themselves of even more restricting layers, no longer held back by time constraints or awkward silences. The only silence that had settled between the two had immediately been broken by a moan that had made its way past Mark's lips as Lucas sucked another mark on his chest.

Lucas pulled back to take another look at Mark, rendered breathless by the sight before him—Mark, with his hair splayed out in every direction and a bit sticking to his forehead, his lips swollen and slightly parted. Mark, who he wanted more and more the higher the moon rose in the sky above the horizon. Mark, who accepted everything Lucas gave him with a soft smile and gentler gasps. Mark, who wanted Lucas as much as he wanted him—and who was Lucas to deny him of that, really?

Lucas' wandering hand drifted down, lower and lower until they reached the waistband of Mark's boxers—the only layer of clothing left on both of their bodies. His erection strained against the fabric, begging for some sort of release, and he swore Mark melted under him when he pressed a steady palm over the tent in his boxers, letting out a moan that went straight to Lucas' own erection.

"Fuck, L-Lucas—" Mark exhaled out as Lucas' fingers dipped past the waistband of his boxers, wrapping his hand around Mark's cock and stroking once. Mark's eyes shot open from the jolt of pleasure, his back arching from the sheer relief that came from finally having his dick touched. He watched as Lucas worked his hand up and down, but his gaze felt drawn to look down at Lucas' toned chest and chiseled abs, looking as though he had walked straight out of an underwear modeling photoshoot, minus the grace models usually carried within their photos.

Lucas was not graceful in his movements whatsoever—rather, they were quite frantic, almost desperate as he furrowed his eyebrows, attempting to maintain some semblance of control over himself as he continued to move his hand up and down, ignoring his own near-painful erection as he focused on pumping Mark's length. Mark sighed and slightly squirmed under him, attempting to be subtle in bucking his hips up for more friction, biting back another moan that bubbled up in his throat. Lucas watched his every move, finding it harder and harder to keep himself composed when Mark looked like _this_.

"God, I wanna ..." Lucas mumbled quietly, his eyes shaking as he looked down at Mark with a hungry stare, his gaze sweeping over him from top to bottom. "Wanna fuck you so bad, Mark." There wasn’t much holding him back, honestly, especially when Mark looked back up at him with a half-lidded stare, a smile hinting at the corner of his lips, cheeks flushed with color that stood out even in the darkness of the beach house.

"Do it, then. I don't wanna have to wait anymore," Mark replied almost instantly, taking Lucas' face between both of his hands, holding it as he pecked him lightly on the lips, the action so delicate and so desperate tears nearly prickled in Lucas' eyes. "I want you."

And those three words were enough motivation for Lucas to sit up and fumble around in the dim light for the drawer next to his bed, opening it and rummaging around, pulling out a bottle of lube. He scrambled to get back on the bed and on top of Mark, peeling his boxers off in one fluid motion. He watched as Mark slipped his own boxers off, discarding them somewhere with the rest of their haphazardly thrown clothing.

"Holy shit," Mark breathed out as his gaze trailed downwards to look at Lucas' sheer size with wide eyes, "I've, uh, never—"

"Don't worry," Lucas reassured, trying to ignore the fact that his ego had swelled at the comment on his size, uncapping the bottle of lube and sitting back. "Do you want me to prep you, or can you do it?" He glanced over at Mark for confirmation, watching as he thought for a moment before glancing up at Lucas.

"You can do it," he replied gently, watching as Lucas wasted no time in getting to work, immediately pouring a fair amount of lube on his finger, his free hand drifting over Mark's thigh and pushing it back so he could settle in between his legs.

"Okay, lift your hips up a bit for me." Lucas spread Mark's thighs a bit, then let go when Mark reached over to hold them up, lifting his hips up in the process. He gently circled a finger around his rim, eyes constantly scanning for any signs of distress on Mark's face as he slowly pushed it in, untensing his shoulders when he saw Mark's expression contort with pleasure, letting out a puff of air that turned into an audible moan. The feeling wasn't foreign to Mark at all, but Lucas' fingers were bigger than he'd imagined, especially when he was now knuckle-deep and looking at him with an even hungrier gaze than before.

Mark simply exhaled, his grip on his thighs loosening a bit as he tried his best to relax, a wave of pleasure washing over him when Lucas added another finger. He bit back another moan, letting go of his thighs to grasp at the sheets under him.

"It's okay to make some noise, y'know," Lucas said, cutting through the silence that had settled between them, talking casually as if he wasn't two fingers deep in Mark right now, "I wanna hear how pretty you sound."

Lucas' comment alone was enough to make Mark let out a low moan, laying his head back on the pillow below him as felt himself loosen up, less tensed up about having Lucas' fingers inside him. His eyes fluttered closed when Lucas added a third finger, the sense of anticipation only growing more as the other pumped his fingers in and out, stretching him out more and more in the process.

"Fuck, Lucas—I think I'm ready now," Mark mumbled, opening his eyes to look at Lucas with a determined stare.

"You sure?" Lucas asked as he pulled his fingers out, stroking Mark's inner thigh with his other hand, a gentle action that made Mark's heart skip a beat. He nodded enthusiastically, resting his ankles on Lucas' back. "Okay ..."

Lucas scooted closer, swallowing as he poured a decent amount of lube onto his length, his cock nearly weeping when the cold substance made contact with it. He gave his length a few strokes to coat himself in the lube before scooting even closer, rubbing the head of his cock against Mark's rim, looking at Mark for reassurance once more, watching as he nodded and gently smiled up at him, reaching up to rub his arm comfortingly.

“I’ll be fi—oh my _God_ ,” Mark’s words were interrupted when Lucas slowly but surely began to push into him, his hands sliding up his thighs to gently push them back as he sank deeper and deeper. The slide was easier than expected, and the initial discomfort of the intrusion quickly made way for waves of pleasure as Lucas bottomed out, staying still for a couple of moments to let Mark adjust to his size.

"You gonna live?" Lucas asked lightheartedly with a small smile, giving Mark's thighs a reassuring squeeze, watching as Mark rolled his eyes and nodded. "Can I start moving?"

"Mhm," Mark sighed out, laying his head back and dragging his fingers across the sheets, then looking back up when Lucas pulled back in an almost painfully slow manner. "I'm not made of glass, Lucas—just fuck me, please?" His tone was rather insistent as he attempted to rock his hips forward, but he stopped moving when Lucas suddenly snapped his hips forward, arching his back as the other gripped his hips and began thrusting at a moderate pace.

Somewhere between the soft gasps and the sound of skin against skin, Mark's hands found their way to the back of Lucas' neck, pulling him in close as their hot breaths ghosted over each other's lips. Mark leaned forward and close the gap, capturing Lucas' lips and hungrily pushing his tongue into his mouth, moans muffled as he wrapped his legs around Lucas's waist. The feeling of Lucas inside of him was nearly euphoric, a feeling Mark got more and more addicted to with every snap of his hips, with every low groan that bubbled up in his throat, with every breathless exhale he let out as he rested his face on Mark's shoulder, his hands finding Mark's and clasping them in his own.

For a moment, Mark felt like they were on the dance floor again, their bodies finding their own personal rhythm as they moved together, embracing the music of their hearts and chasing the pleasure that was theirs and only theirs. It was a freeing feeling, to dance with Lucas, to have sex with Lucas—a feeling Mark latched onto as he latched onto Lucas' hands, holding them tightly. The emotions and pleasure welled up in Mark's chest and abdomen, an unfamiliar, yet heartwarming feeling that Mark hadn't felt in all of the years he'd been alive.

And truly, Mark felt _alive_.

"Cas—Lucas, Lucas, 'm close." Mark let go of Lucas' hands in favor of taking his face in between his hands, looking up at him with big eyes that nearly made Lucas' heart melt on the spot. "Go faster, God—please, please, need you so bad—"

Lucas groaned as he sped up his thrusts, giving Mark what he wanted as he buried his hands in the sheets on either side of Mark's head, feeling himself reach the edge of his orgasm as well. "God, Mark—I'm close too," He leaned down to sloppily kiss Mark, intending to aim for his lips but landing somewhere on the side of his jaw, trailing more kisses down his face and the side of his neck as he buried his face there, relishing in the warmth that radiated from Mark's body when he pressed himself against him.

Mark's fingers threaded through Lucas' hair, his grip tightening and loosening with each thrust that drove him against the bed's headboard. Eventually, one of Lucas' hands drifted down to grasp Mark's cock, pumping in time with his thrusts that were quickly growing more and more erratic. Mark shook from the pleasure that coursed through him, and after a few more beats he came, spilling onto his stomach with a loud groan while keeping his arms loosely wrapped around Lucas’ torso.

Lucas continued to chase his own orgasm, pulling back to look down at Mark coming down from his post-orgasm high, his hair splayed out in every which way, some of the locks sticking to his forehead, and his eyelashes fluttering as he laid his head back on the pillow. The sight of Mark's blissed-out expression and soft smile sent more sparks of pleasure running through his abdomen, and with one more thrust he released inside of Mark, tensed limbs immediately relaxing as he rested himself atop the other, not pulling out of him just yet as he hoisted himself up on his elbows. Both of their chests rose and fell in sync as they caught their breath, taking just a moment to stare at each other after the intimate act they’d both just engaged in, as if cherishing the memory for a little while longer. 

“You’re … kinda heavy,” Mark commented bluntly, slicing through the winded silence of heavy breaths and pants as he spoke. Lucas quickly acted on the comment, pulling out of Mark and rolling off of him with a small chuckle.

“I get that a lot.”

+

Cleaning themselves up ended up being quite the quick task, and within no time they were nestled within the bedsheets and under the covers of the king-sized bed in Lucas’ room, a soft night breeze brushing past the curtains that covered the open window in the room. Moonlight bathed the room in dim light, washing over the bedsheets and the walls, just barely illuminating Mark’s and Lucas’ faces as they both stared at the ceiling, feeling the coolness of the night on their bare torsos.

“That … was really nice,” Mark said, turning to look at Lucas as he slid his arms under the duvet and pulled it over his face. Only his nose and eyes were showing now, his fluffy head of black hair squashed against the pillow. “Like … That was really fucking amazing.”

“Was it?” Lucas asked with an amused grin, turning to Mark.

Mark nodded, looking at Lucas with those endearing big eyes that sparkled, even in the dim light of the bedroom. “I … actually haven’t had sex since visiting San Junipero, if I’m being honest. Well, I haven’t had sex in general in ages, really.”

“Really? I mean … That? That was great. I’ve had my share of hook-ups here, but that …” Lucas trailed off, running a hand through his hair as he looked up and sighed to himself. “It felt different. Who are you to make me feel like this, Mark?” He chuckled, the statement wholly lighthearted as he smiled over at Mark, who really couldn’t help but smile back at him. God, was Lucas’ smile really that contagious?

“Glad to know we both enjoyed it.” Mark’s gaze flickered over Lucas’ bare form, hesitantly reaching over to thread his fingers through the other’s. “And … I’m just Mark. Here to have a good time for a little while, y’know?” Lucas looked down at their joined hands, giving Mark’s hand a squeeze as he glanced over at him, lips still curled into a smile.

“That’s the best time I’ve had in a while since coming here. You’re really something else, Mark … Thanks for all the fun last week and this week.”

Mark glanced down at their joined hands before speaking again, “I have a lot of fun when I’m around you, Lucas.”

“Yukhei.”

“What?”

“My name’s Yukhei. Lucas is just a name I use around here… But Yukhei is my real name. I thought you deserved to know.” Lucas smiled, pearly whites bright in the near-midnight darkness. “I have a lot of fun around you too, Mark. Thanks again … for tonight. It’s not often someone lays with me like this until midnight.” 

Mark couldn’t help the blush that spread across his cheeks at the sudden intimate words, turning on his side away from Lucas to look at the digital clock sitting on the nightstand, quickly checking the time. His heart twisted when he saw that the digital display read 11:59 PM, not quite wanting to be taken away from his blissful night with Lucas just yet. 

“Luc—Yukhei, time’s almost up … Are you going to be here next week?” Mark asked quickly, sitting up as he looked down at Yukhei, knowing they had mere seconds left of time to spend with each other. Lucas looked at him with an unreadable expression, opening his mouth to respond to him.

But before he could speak, their world plunged into darkness, midnight washing over their minds like the waves that crashed over the beach.

_**ONE WEEK LATER** _

Mark’s heart beat faster and faster as he jogged down the sidewalks of San Junipero, looking up at the familiar light sign hung above Tucker’s and willing himself to run faster. He pushed open the doors, frantically glancing around for Lucas—no, Yukhei. He checked the dance floor, the arcade, the tables—but Yukhei wasn’t there. He checked the time—it was 9:56 PM, a perfectly normal time for Yukhei to be somewhere in Tucker’s like he usually was.

But he wasn’t there.

He plopped himself onto a seat at the bar in defeat, staring down at his half-empty glass of whiskey and cola like it would bring him the answers. He stared at his liquid reflection, noticing his furrowed brows and his sad eyes as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“What’s got you so down and blue?” The bartender asked Mark, his hands occupied with a towel and a glass as he dried it and stored it in a cabinet below him, then leaned forward to rest his elbows on the counter as he looked at Mark with a curious expression. “You waiting on someone?”

Mark bit his lip and nodded. “Yeah, um, sort of. Have you seen Lucas at all tonight? Kinda tall, blonde hair, sparkly button-up shirt. Do you know him?”

The bartender ran a hand through his striking blue hair, furrowing his brow as he closed his eyes to think. “Yep, definitely know who you’re talking about. I haven’t seen him tonight. Do you maybe wanna try another time? I’ve definitely seen him later in the 2020’s before.. I’m sure you’ll find him if you look hard enough!” He sent Mark an encouraging smile, one that made his eyes reminiscent of crescent moons as he backed away from the counter.

“I guess I could try that,” Mark said, getting up from his bar seat with newfound hope in his eyes. “I … uh, haven’t caught your name before, by the way.”

“It’s Jeno!”

“Jeno … Thanks.” Mark smiled at Jeno, who simply waved him off with a smile and returned to tending to the other people sitting at the bar.

 _I’ll find you, Yukhei. I don’t want this to end just yet,_ Mark thought as he ventured further into the night, losing track of time until midnight inevitably hit.

_**ONE WEEK LATER** _

When Mark opened the doors to Tucker’s, he was greeted with one of the greatest songs of 2026, the decade, and quite arguably the century. 

_LOVER BOY_ by EXO blared over the speakers as the crowds of people around the bar cheered and danced along, throwing their hands up in the air for the pre-chorus. Mark, being the giant EXO-L he was, almost immediately jumped into the song, following along to the choreography as he walked inside. He practically zipped over to the dance floor, seemingly possessed by an otherworldly force as his legs moved on their own, and he walked to the center, grinning widely as he did the famous spinning move that marked the beginning of the chorus.

_Lover, lover, lover boy, I’m your lover lover lover boy_

With a step here and a turn there, Mark immersed himself in a feeling he hadn’t felt in ages—while indulging in things like movies he liked and arcade games he always used to play was one thing, dancing was another level of nostalgia Mark hadn’t dared to tap into in his time at San Junipero. But in the past few weeks, Mark had finally found out what it meant to feel _free_ , to cherish the time he had at San Junipero, the time he had as _himself_.

_Baby, don’t stop lovin’ lovin’ lovin’ me tonight_

Mark felt alive under the lights of the dance floor, the world around him running in slow motion as he slid into the final spin of the chorus. His chest rose and fell with heaving breaths as he glanced at the others around him who had joined him in dancing, his heart feeling inexplicably full as he continued to dance, the moves coming naturally to him as he lost himself in the music.

_Come on and give me some lovin’ tonight_

The song ended with Mark and the rest of the dancing bar-goers getting into the ending pose, and the world finally returned to regular speed as the entire bar broke out into wild applause and cheers. Different people yelled out praises for EXO’s song and their dance, and it nearly made tears prickle in Mark’s eyes as he quickly shimmied his way through the crowd and kept his gaze pointed downwards, making a beeline for the bathroom in the distance. 

Mark pushed open the doors to the bathroom, stumbling over to the sink and looking at his reflection in shock. He shakily took off his glasses and splashed a bit of water over his face, watching the water drip down from his chin for a few moments before grabbing a paper towel and wiping his face off, staring down at his legs for a long, winded moment.

“You sure you aren’t EXO’s tenth member or something, man?”

Mark yelped and jumped back in surprise, turning around upon hearing the familiar booming voice of Lucas echo through the bathroom, quickly dropping his wet paper towels in the trash can. Lucas was dressed with a fresh, new look tonight, a black and brown sparkling button-up pulled over his torso with navy blue pants to accompany it, his freshly dyed blue-green hair slicked back with hair gel. 

“Oh ... That was nothing," Mark began, scratching the back of his head sheepishly as he looked up at Yukhei, at his smiling face, grinning like nothing had happened, nothing had changed. But something _had_ changed; it was evident within the tense air that hung around the two in the bathroom that was silent, save for the dripping water of the sink and the distant bass of the music thumping outside. "I just happened to know the dance. 2026, EXO's golden renaissance era, y'know?"

"Hell yeah I know! 2026 was _the_ year, God." Yukhei sighed wistfully, chest puffing up from the nostalgia that swirled in his eyes as he quickly checked his reflection in the mirror, raking his finger through his hair despite the dried hair gel that had been set in it. "I got up to so much, you have no idea—"

"Yukhei."

Yukhei stopped talking upon Mark's abrupt interruption, looking at him with wide eyes that were more curious than shocked. "Mark?"

"Were you ... avoiding me? Is that why you weren't in 2021 last week?"

Yukhei physically deflated, gaze tilting down to the floor as guilt flashed in his eyes. "Mark ..."

"Look, I honestly don't know what you think. About me, about San Junipero, about us. But I don't want to lose you. Not yet." Mark frowned, unable to meet Yukhei's gaze as he side glanced at the mirror next to him, then down at the pair of glasses that were still set on the sink.

"You don't mean ... You're passing over?"

"I don't know yet. But it doesn't matter right now," Mark shook his head and grabbed his glasses from atop the sink, putting them on and finally meeting Yukhei's eyes, staring at a familiar-looking unreadable expression as he walked in the direction of the door, his heart aching with an unfamiliar feeling. "If you don't care about us, that's fine, okay? Just tell me now, before I get too atta—"

Yukhei immediately rushed to grab at Mark's wrist, stopping him before he could step any further or say anything more. "I care. I care about this more than you think, Mark. It's just ..." He looked down, eyebrows furrowed as his grip on Mark's wrist loosened. "I was scared. In the time I've been here, I’ve never told anyone else my real name. I—I've never ... felt this way before. Not here in San Junipero."

"Being vulnerable _is_ a little scary," Mark conceded, gently pulling his wrist out of Yukhei's grasp, "but you know we can get through this together, right?" He was quiet as he looked up at the other with a concerned, gentle gaze, one that made Yukhei want to melt on the spot.

"Yeah ... Yeah, I do." With a smile, Yukhei threaded his fingers through Mark's, firmly squeezing his hand. "Let's not worry about it anymore tonight. We've still got a bunch of time, do you wanna head back to my place?"

Mark looked up and finally found the courage to smile up at Yukhei, bright and hopeful despite the fact that they were standing in a barely decent club bathroom. "Yeah, let's go. We've been standing in this bathroom for waaay too long."

+

Yukhei sat on the balcony connected to the bedroom of his beach house, a cigarette pinched between two fingers. Smoke billowed from his lips as he stared out across the expanse of beach laid out ahead of him, dressed only in a bathrobe made of black silk that did little to actually cover his bare body. The door to the balcony slid open and Mark emerged from the bedroom, dressed in his own bathrobe and holding a warm mug of tea. He sat in the chair just across from Yukhei, sipping from his mug in silence as he too stared at the shore, the moon's reflection dancing dauntingly above the waves.

"What time is it?" Yukhei asked before taking another drag of his cigarette, blowing out the smoke and watching it disappear into the night sky.

"11:45 PM. We've got a little bit of time," Mark answered, laying his free arm against the armrest of the chair and taking another sip of his tea.

"So ..." Yukhei sat back, tapping his finger against his chin in a thinking pose, immediately sitting up when a conversation topic struck him. "You used to dance?"

Mark tensed up, but softly exhaled and relaxed in the same moment. "... Dancing was like breathing to me." It was all so vivid in Mark's head, even now—the constant hours spent in the dance studio, stretching and turning and skipping and spinning—an endless effort that had paid off in the form of exhilarating performances that made adrenaline course through his veins. "I was the head of my dance studio’s performance group, and led most of the performances. I especially loved performing EXO songs 'cause I was a huge fan of them."

"That's so cool! So were you like, a dance prodigy or something?"

"Something like that," Mark admitted, leaning forward in his seat and setting his tea on the table next to him, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "But when I was 28, I... injured my ankle. But I wanted to keep dancing … So I kept on going.” Memories of working, determination, and pain flashed through Mark’s mind, a pang of regret growing in his chest as he reminisced the toiling and the constant moving he had put himself through, still able to recall the fatigue that had plagued his body back then.

“I kept on going, even though I was hurt, and eventually I—" Mark inhaled sharply, lips trembling as he kept a hand slapped over his mouth. A longing feeling tinged with slight regret tugged at his chest, tears pooling in his eyes as he willed himself to continue, his words quiet and shaky.

"They told me I had to quit dancing."

Yukhei exhaled, the frown on his face fully indicating his sympathy. "Oh, Mark …”

Mark nodded, the tears blurring his vision as he tried to blink the painful memories away with his tears to no avail. "Fuck, I-I'm sorry for crying, I just—"

"Hey, it's okay. I get that dancing meant a lot to you." Yukhei got up from his seat to wrap his arms around a trembling Mark, caressing his cheek with a tenderness that made Mark melt into his hold, surrendering to his tears as his shoulders rose and fell with years upon years of held back sobs. "Losing something you love is ... hard."

"I thought there wasn't a point to my life if I wasn't dancing," Mark mumbled into Yukhei's shoulder, grasping at the silky fabric of his bathrobe. "If it weren't for my seniors, I dunno where I'd be. Not being able to dance ever again was like dying, Yukhei—it was so _painful_. I spent so many years just ... wallowing in that pain, being ‘dead’. And I…” Mark inhaled, swallowing the rest of his tears down. “I definitely wasted a lot of my life like that.”

“I get that,” Yukhei agreed, sighing as he scratched his head. “Midlife crises are not really what you expect them to be, honestly.”

Mark mustered a laugh, because Yukhei’s words rang true in his head, a lighthearted comfort in the midst of his most vulnerable moment. “They really aren’t. Before I met you, I didn't even try to step on that dance floor—I didn't even walk into Tucker's most of the time, 'cause I knew I'd get too tempted. I was ... scared. Scared that the nostalgia would be too much, even though I knew that San Junipero was the perfect opportunity to come back to what I loved doing most." He shifted in Yukhei's hold, looking out to the shore and scanning over the city's skyline from their spot on the balcony. He looked back at Yukhei with renewed optimism and a smile, leaning closer to him as he continued to speak.

"But after I met you, things kinda just ... changed? There was something about you, Yukhei. It awakened something in me, it—it let me dance again. I finally felt _alive_ for the first time in who knows how many years. So for all that it's worth ..." Mark's eyes spoke of pure adoration and gratefulness as he leaned in to place a small kiss on Yukhei's lips, tender and soft. "Thank you."

"You really had to go and say all that 5 minutes before midnight, huh?" Yukhei chuckled, his hand tracing Mark's jaw as he leaned down, caressing his face in his hands as though he were holding the world. "God, I can't say anything that'll match up to _that_ , but I'm really glad I met you, Mark." He rubbed his thumb across the other's soft cheek, observing the small mole dotting the spot where his thumb had just been.

"See you next week?" Mark leaned further into his touch, eyes fluttering shut as he basked in the warmth of Yukhei's touch.

"See you next week," Yukhei replied, shutting his eyes and succumbing to the darkness of the night above them, the two sitting in a quiet, warm embrace until the clock ticked down to midnight, engulfing their world in darkness.

_**ONE WEEK LATER** _

The wind whipped past Mark's face as he cheered and held his hands up, sitting back in the comfortable leather seats of Yukhei's convertible. Gravity by EXO was just barely heard over the sound of the wind rushing past them, and Mark's head spun from how fast they were driving on the beachside highway. They were going at least 120 kilometers per hour, the world blurring around them as Yukhei and Mark laughed the night away, driving until they got tired of blasting music and driving around, parking somewhere near an empty expanse of beach, taking off their shoes so they could sink their feet into the velvety sand.

"I don't even know what time it is," Mark stated, reaching for Yukhei's hand after he rolled his pants up, enjoying the way the sea breeze rushed past his hair. He intertwined his fingers in Yukhei's, and they began their trek down the shore of the beach with no destination in mind.

"I honestly don't care," Yukhei admitted with a chuckle, swinging their arms and happily kicking up sand as they walked. "I just wanna be with you." They both drifted closer and closer to the water until the waves were just barely sneaking past their feet, receding just as quickly as they came.

"By the way ..." Mark stopped and looked down, watching as his feet sank into the wet sand. He wiggled his toes, enjoying the coolness of the water on his feet before speaking again. "Uh... I'm honestly not sure how much time I have left. They're telling me I have to decide whether or not I wanna stay in San Junipero soon."

"Well, are you?" Lucas questioned, squeezing Mark's hand for reassurance.

Mark bit his lip, unsure on how to go about the question. "I don't know ... Should I?"

"That's not for me to decide, Mark." Yukhei replied, turning to look at the incoming waves on the beach, watching as they rushed past their feet with a tiny splash. "I have an idea, though. Where do you live?"

"Seoul," Mark answered without any hesitation, tilting his head in question. "Why?"

"Really?! Me too!" Yukhei smiled radiantly, reaching for Mark's other hand and holding it in his. "What do you think about me paying you a visit and I help you decide there?"

Mark looked up at Yukhei, raising an eyebrow with a doubtful look. "Are you sure about that? I'm, uh... well, it's..."

"C'mon man, we're both, like, the same age. You can't look any worse for wear than me. Besides," Yukhei playfully nudged Mark a little less than gently, nearly sending him stumbling in the direction of the water, "I've literally seen all of you. Are you really that scared?"

"Yes!" Mark exclaimed as he stabilized himself and crossed his arms with a pout. "It's different out there."

"It'll be fine! I'll come visit you, we can talk for a bit, and then I’ll leave. What do we have to lose here? C’mon, it’ll be fun!” Yukhei nudged him again, looking down at him with big puppy eyes that, sure enough, softened Mark's heart. He wrenched his gaze away from him, already feeling his chest clench with the temptation to relent to Yukhei's request.

Mark sighed, then looked down at his hand, where a black Sharpie had appeared. “This probably won’t wash off, right?” He took a hold of one of Yukhei’s arm, squeezing his bicep discreetly with a smile before scrawling an address on his forearm with the Sharpie, topping it all off with a set of 'xoxo's at the end. "Do you think you'll be able to remember all that when you wake up?"

Yukhei pulled his arm away to read the address written on his arm, nodding enthusiastically at Mark. "Definitely! I know where this is, it's only about a 1 hour train ride from my place. I'm not senile yet, you know."

"Good. Now I've been meaning to do this since we got to the beach, but ..." Mark waded further into the water, watching as it sloshed around his feet, reaching his shins. He went in deeper and deeper, and Yukhei curiously followed suit, until Mark suddenly turned around and splashed him with an oncoming spray of seawater. Yukhei stumbled back as he was hit with the droplets of cold water, his shocked expression priceless to Mark, who giggled as he waded deeper into the tide, not caring if his pants got wet.

"Oh, you've barked up the wrong tree, Mark," Yukhei mildly threatened with a grin as he ran after Mark, making long strides through the water as he sent a large wave of water that showered over Mark, leaving him slightly wet and laughing as his glasses fell down somewhere into the waves. Mark didn't care, though. He could still see Yukhei's smiling face just fine, and that was what mattered most to him.

They played among the waves without a care or worry in the world until the moon rose high in the sky and the clock ticked right down to midnight.

_**12:00 AM.** _

Mark slowly blinked himself awake from unconsciousness, sighing as he sat up in his seat and detached a small circular device from the side of his forehead, attaching it back to the remote he'd been holding in his right hand. He watched as it emitted a soft beep, light spiraling around the circular device before going silent again. Mark smiled and looked to his left, where a young woman laid on the couch fast asleep, a book placed on her chest as it gently rose and fell, then looked to his right out the window, where the midnight skyline of Seoul sparkled splendidly from his apartment.

"Mina," Mark quietly called out to the woman, watching as she startled awake and sat up on the couch. She looked over at Mark with a gentle smile, immediately placing her book down on the coffee table and getting up from her spot, bowing in Mark's direction before speaking.

"Mister Lee, you're awake. How was your visit this week? Are you feeling alright?" Mina took the remote and placed it inside the box, setting it down on the table and enclosing it with the lid.

"It went quite well, Mina. And what did I say about calling me Mister Lee, again? You make me feel so old when you speak all politely like that," Mark chuckled, resting his hands on the armrests of his chair as he attempted to sit up, showing a bit of a struggle as he furrowed his brow. Eventually, he was able to sit up and get on his feet, and Mina was right at his side with a gentle hand on his back.

"How about Uncle Lee, then? Grandpa Lee?" Mina grabbed his cane that leaned against the side of the recliner and handed it to him with a teasing smile, placing a hand over Mark's wrinkled ones as he began the trek to his bedroom.

"I'll get a heart attack from all your teasing one day, young lady," Mark huffed out as they slowly walked down the hall into his bedroom. "Uncle isn't as bad, though. I remember you'd call me Uncle Mark all the time when you were a child. You still get up to trouble even today, don't you?"

"I assure you that I don't, Uncle Mark. My wife keeps me out of trouble, don't worry." Mina laughed as she helped Mark into bed, smoothing the covers over him as he relaxed into the sheets, his weary bones worn down by age. "I'll be here tomorrow too if you need anything. If I'm not here when you wake up, call me, okay?"

"Of course. Good night, Mina." Mark waved Mina off, smiling at her one more time and watching as she exited the bedroom and disappeared into the hallway, and it was then that he succumbed to the fatigue weighing on his bones, resting his head on the pillow to get some rest for the night.

_**12:00 PM.** _

"Uncle Mark! Someone's ringing in, says he's here to see you," Mina called as she popped her head into the doorframe of Mark's bedroom. "Who exactly is Wong Yukhei?"

Mark exhaled, raising his eyebrows with interest as he slowly put down the book he had been reading, sliding the sheets off of him as he sat up on the side of his bed. "He's a ... friend. You can let him in."

Within around ten minutes of buzzing Yukhei in, Mark had gotten out of bed and tidied up himself and his apartment (with gratuitous assistance from Mina). By the time he was done dusting off the coffee table with trembling hands, he heard a knock at the door, and Mina immediately rushed over to go answer it as Mark slowly placed the duster down on the table and made his way over to the entrance, where Mina was talking quietly with a man standing in the doorframe.

Standing tall in the doorway, of course, was Yukhei, his grinning face and bright eyes worn down by wrinkles and age, dressed in a long-sleeved button-up shirt reminiscent of the tacky bright ones that he wore in San Junipero, albeit much less flashy. He smiled down at Mina as she let her inside, then turned to look at Mark, his eyes sparkling with an excitement that was all too familiar to Mark.

"I'm gonna go for a grocery run, uncle. Do you need anything?" Mina seemed to have picked up on the atmosphere quickly, grabbing her purse and car keys from the kitchen table and heading in the direction of the door.

"No, just whatever we added to the list. Be careful, Mina!" Mark waved at Mina, who waved back with a knowing smile, shutting the door behind her with a quiet click as she made her way down the hall. Mark turned to Yukhei, smiling at him as he smoothed over his long sleeve shirt and motioning in the direction of the living room.

"That was my niece. She's been taking care of me for a while now. She keeps me in pretty good shape, having me walk all around the house to cook and clean," Mark stated, slowly making his way over to the couch, motioning for Yukhei to follow and sit.

"She seems like a nice lady," Yukhei commented, crossing his arms as he sat down on the couch next to Mark, groaning as he leaned forward and stretched his legs. "God, what a journey that was. These old bones aren't exactly fit for a lot of walking these days."

Mark chuckled, "Tell me about it. Do you want anything to drink, by the way?" He began to get up as he asked, but was quickly sat down by Yukhei, who looked at him with an incredulous look.

"Do _you_? I don't want you to walk too much." He got up from the couch with ease, making his way over to the kitchen and opening the fridge. "Is juice alright?"

"Again, I'm not made of glass, Yukhei. And yes," Mark answered with a defeated sigh, sitting back on the couch as Yukhei came back with two cans of juice, placing a straw and the opened can in Mark's hands, then opening his own. The two sat in silence for a bit, quietly drinking their juice as they stared out the window of his apartment, watching the clouds move through the sky in a mundane manner.

"So," Yukhei began after the silence had settled in for a bit too long, placing his can of juice on the coffee table in front of them. "Have you thought anymore on your decision to pass over?"

Mark blinked, then sighed as he slowly took another sip from his straw, the tremble in his hands subtle, but still there. "I've thought about it once or twice today," he said, topping his words off with yet another sip of juice, leaning forward to place the can atop the table, the action harder on his limbs than he had initially anticipated. "I suppose I could say I'm ready. I have family, but they know I'm beginning to wither away. They've definitely been visiting me a lot more lately, so I guess they know what's coming. It's 2078 now—it's probably been time for a while. I just … don’t know."

Yukhei listened with crossed arms, pondering over Mark's words for a long moment before leaning forward again. He smiled as he looked at Mark, and though wrinkles plagued his wide grin, Mark saw every bit of the Yukhei from San Junipero in front of him.

"Why don't we pass over together?"

"... What?"

"Have you ever been to San Junipero during the daytime, Mark?"

What started as a set of harmless questions ended in Mark and Yukhei grabbing the circular devices from their remotes and attaching it to their heads, descending into unconsciousness and waking up on the beach of San Junipero hand in hand. Mark sat up, pushing his glasses up his face as his gaze swept over Yukhei, who was still laying back, basking in the sunlight that washed over their bodies.

"Is this even allowed?" Mark asked as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of San Junipero in the daytime, much used to seeing the seaside at night rather than during the day, the murky blue-violet night sky traded for a brilliant blue one, the blindingly bright sun replacing the moon that normally hung dutifully in the sky above them.

"Probably not! But the time we spend here is probably taken out of our Saturday time, so let's not linger here too long." Yukhei sat up, not caring about the waves that suddenly splashed against them as the tide rushed in. He took Mark's hands in his, looking at him with such genuine adoration that Mark hardly cared that they were soaked from the chest down.

"Mark, will you stay with me here forever in San Junipero?"

The answer popped up immediately in Mark's head, of course. There wasn't a doubt in his mind, especially when Yukhei sat here in his arms, looking down at him like he was the sunshine that basked upon them currently, like he was a star in the night sky, like he truly was willing to spend forever with him here in San Junipero. Mark smiled widely, grin just as bright as Yukhei's as he looked up at him, bright and hopeful as he nodded enthusiastically.

"Hell yeah I will, Yukhei."

A wave crashed down on them as they leaned in to connect their lips, descending into darkness as they were pulled out of San Junipero and back into the realm of consciousness, no longer having any doubts or second thoughts in their minds.

_**A FEW WEEKS LATER…** _

Mark ran down the shoreline of the beach, the sun reflecting off the ripples and waves of the water as he ran as fast as he could, waving his arms in the air with glee. His grin was bright and wide, wider than he'd ever smiled in his time. This was it, after all. This was his official move-in date into San Junipero.

He threw his shoes off, savoring the warm sand engulfing his toes, running barefoot along the shore. He ran and ran and ran until a familiar house came into view, with a familiar man sitting on the steps on the porch. Mark watched as the figure on the porch got up from his spot, immediately breaking into a run, kicking sand up into the air as he did so, the figure slowly growing bigger and bigger as the distance between them grew smaller and smaller.

Mark threw himself into Yukhei's arms, the latter spinning him around until they both felt dizzy, collapsing onto the sand in a fit of giggles and laughs. He climbed on top of Yukhei, taking his face in his hands as he showered him in an onslaught of kisses. Yukhei laughed cheerfully, gently taking a hold of Mark's wrists so he could kiss him full on the lips, smiling into it as Mark wrapped his arms around him, cherishing every bit of warmth that came from Yukhei.

"So ... What now?" Mark asked breathlessly when they both pulled away, rolling over so he could sit next to Yukhei in the sand, looking out at the waves that crashed against the shore.

Yukhei wrapped an arm around Mark's waist, pulling him snug and close as he relished in the bliss of finally being _free_. He then turned to Mark, grinning wide as he pulled out a pair of car keys, the keys jingling together as a beep sounded in the distance behind them.

"We'll figure it out. We have forever, don't we?"

Mark laughed, a joyful sound that made Yukhei's heart soar with pure happiness.

"Here's to forever, then."

**Author's Note:**

> you've reached the end! now that we're here, i'm going to explain san junipero to those who haven't seen it: san junipero is a computer-created simulation where the deceased live as a form of the afterlife of sorts, their consciousnesses uploaded to san junipero permanently. the elderly can visit, having their consciousnesses uploaded for 5 hours a week on saturday as a weekly trial of sorts. so though yukhei and mark have died in the real world, they live on happily in san junipero. they have forever to figure their relationship out, so what's the rush?
> 
> additional notes: the reason why certain things randomly appear (such as mark's sharpie) and certain descriptions (lumark cleaning up) are vague is because they kinda can just... make these things appear at will in the show too? so i decided to roll with it for this fic too! hopefully it wasn't too jarring to read.
> 
> from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for reading this fic all the way to the end! feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments or in my twitter/cc ♡  
>   
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/strdusting)  
> [curiouscat](https://curiouscat.me/stilldreaming)


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